My favorite way to eat zucchini is in chocolate cake, but Zucchini and Pine Nut Fritters come in as my second favorite. The zucchini is grated raw, which preserves the fresh, green flavor. They are a lot like Potato Pancakes but with a softer interior, the fritters get their extra texture from the pine nuts…

I have been looking for a really good Sake Fried Rice recipe. So this is a combination of an old and a new recipe. Our friends own a Sake brewery, so I wanted to make sure I include their Blue Current Sake in the recipe. After you cook the rice, chop the scallions and the…

I made these Smashed Potatoes with Chives for a dinner with friends and they were serving steak. I needed to bring something that would transport easily and that I could finish when I got to their house. They are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They are delicious with beef, lamb and…

This Sausage Herb Stuffing is another recipe from Grandma Toots. I have it hand written in my book, there are no measurements, just ingredients. I taste tested these amounts and it tastes just like Grandma’s did. Isn’t it interesting how much the smells and the taste of food reminds us of our childhood? I chop…

I made this sauce for a Sunday Sundae party for a friend. My friend said the Raspberry Sauce was her favorite because it was so unique. It can be used for cheesecakes, pound cakes, pancakes, and ice cream too! I reduced the sugar from my original recipe and added fresh lemon juice and cognac at the end. The…

I made this Carrot Salad with Sake Lemon Dressing for a special dinner with friends, who also happen to have a Sake Brewery in Maine (Blue Current Sake). The heirloom carrots were still at the market and they are so beautiful and so delicious. I used a mandoline to make the slices very thin, but you…

Black Olive Salsa is a great impromptu salsa that only takes a few minutes to prepare. Because it is one of our favorite appetizers, I always try to keep the ingredients on hand. At Mead Meadow, this is lovingly known as “Dana’s Salsa”. Our dear friend and neighbor, Dana, introduced us to this delicious appetizer….

This recipe combines beans with shrimp, instead of pasta. Our dear friends Sue and Jeff made this for us while we were visiting in Connecticut, and we had to share it with you. The flavor is great, it makes a beautiful presentation, and it is so quick and easy to make. You can use serrano…

After buying hummus for years, I finally started making my own from scratch. I will never buy hummus again! It is so easy and so much better than store bought. It tastes fresh and has a lot more texture. I try to keep all of the ingredients on hand so I can make…

This is a chili that will surprise everyone. The list of ingredients seems long, but each one is worth it! The cocoa powder at the end adds an extra layer of flavor that you don’t expect in a beef chili. I’ve served this chili over a thick piece of cornbread in the center of the…